International refund information

Where international students are leaving the University, they must also ensure they have followed the correct procedures to be released or withdrawn from their course before a refund application can be considered. For information on how to be released from the University please visit the Leaving UOW web page. 

• Commencement date: The start date of the first session as per the Offer of Admission, this date is published on both the Offer of Admission and the session and key dates website. 

• Census date: Date by which enrolment and fee payments must be finalised. Each session of study has a census date, which are displayed on your SOLS record in addition to being published on the session and key dates website. 

• Reasonable attempt: A student who is deemed to have genuinely attempted to pass a course of study. This includes a minimum attendance of 80% of the course and/or verification from the education provider that the student genuinely attempted to pass a course of study. 

Note: A students first session may be made up of multiple intakes. Where multiple intakes fall within the first session of study, applications are assessed based on the first commencement and census date. 

Your eligibility for a refund of fees paid is determined based on the following criteria: 

A continuing student is a person who has completed at least one session of study at the University of Wollongong. Refunds for continuing students do not include any amount of a Tuition Fee Deposit. 

Students who withdraw after the census date and can demonstrate special circumstances in line with section 11 item 12 and section 12 item 2 of the International Fee Paying Student Refund Procedure may be eligible for a refund of fees. To apply, students will need to submit an Application for Refund of Fees – International form, along with supporting documentation.  

In some circumstances credit associated with a Tuition Fee Deposit made available by these types of refunds will be credited to the student’s University account and available for use towards future study at the University. Credit involved in these refund cases will be held as available credit for 36 months from the course commencement date as per section 15 clause 96 of the UOW Fees Policy. 

See below for more information on What are Special Circumstances? and What supporting documents are required? 

Special circumstances are generally considered to be unusual, beyond the student’s control and were either not known before the commencement date for new students or the census date for continuing students, or were known but significantly worsened after that date.  

As per the International Fee Paying Student Refund Procedure, you must be able to demonstrate with independent supporting documentation that your circumstances:  

• Were beyond your control: A situation that a reasonable person would consider is not due to your action or inaction, or which you were not responsible for. Please note that a lack of understanding or knowledge of university fees or census date deadlines is not considered to be beyond your control; AND 

• Did not occur, or their full impact was not known until after the commencement date for new students or census date for existing students: The circumstances occur before the commencement or census date, but worsen after that date, or occurred before the commencement or census date, but the full effect or magnitude does not become apparent until after that date; AND 

• Because of the circumstances you were unable to complete your study requirements: You were unable to undertake the necessary private study required, attend sufficient lectures or tutorials, or meet other attendance requirements to meet your compulsory course requirements. 

Special circumstances DO NOT include a lack of knowledge or understanding of census dates or the University’s enrolment and withdrawal processes. See the examples of special circumstances and appropriate documents. 

Each application is assessed primarily on the independent supporting documentation you provide to the university. Please note that a personal statement describing your special circumstances is not sufficient evidence to have your application approved. Requests for a refund due to special circumstances are assessed in conjunction with the International Fee Paying Student Refund Procedure and the University's Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances Guidelines. 

As per the Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances Guidelines, supporting documentation needs to: 

• Be on official letterhead (if appropriate), signed and dated 

• Include medical provider number (if appropriate) and contact details of the person providing the document 

• Include all relevant dates and indicate the severity of your circumstances 

• Advise the date your circumstances first began 

• State whether your circumstances changed after census date and if so, the date they changed and to what degree 

• Comment on how your special circumstances affected your ability to meet study commitments 

• Advise when it became apparent that you could not continue your study. 

Depending on your special circumstances it may be appropriate to seek documentation from: 

• Your doctor 

• The Department of Immigration 

• Psychologist or counsellor 

• An independent member of the community (such as a Justice of the Peace or Minister of Religion) 

Examples of special circumstances and appropriate documents 

Example 1: Medical 

A medical condition became known after the commencement or census dates for study, OR a pre-existing medical condition deteriorated significantly after the commencement or census date and you were unable to continue your study. 

Provide a letter from your doctor which states: 

• The date the medical condition began or changed 

• How the condition affected your ability to meet study requirements 

• When it became apparent that you could not continue your studies. 

Example 2: Family/personal 

Due to unforeseen personal or family reasons, which occurred or worsened after the commencement or census date, you are unable to continue study. There are a wide range of circumstances which fall into this category such as: 

• A close family member has a serious illness after the commencement or census date, and you are required to provide full-time care 

• A family member or close friend dies, and you are affected to such a degree that, after the commencement or census date you realise you cannot continue study. 

Provide a certified copy of death certificate, death notice etc, or a letter from your family doctor, counsellor or independent member of the community (such as a Justice of the Peace or Minister of Religion) which states: 

• The date your personal circumstances changed 

• How your circumstances affected your ability to meet study requirements 

• When it became apparent that you could not continue your studies. 

For further examples of applicable Special Circumstances please refer to Section 3 of the Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances Guidelines. 

If you failed because of special circumstances which occurred after census date and were beyond your control, you may submit an Application for Refund of Fees – International form. 

You will need to provide evidence of your special circumstances with supporting documentation. 

Before applying for a refund of fees, it is recommended that you explore options to late withdraw from the impact subject without Academic Penalty. 

UOW encourages all students to manage their enrolments effectively online via the SOLS system. Therefore, regardless of whether you attend classes, if you do not ‘formally withdraw via SOLS’ before census date, you will still be charged for the enrolled subject(s). 

In these instances, you should consider making an Application for Late Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty (available from the student forms page) if it is too late to withdraw yourself from your subjects online via SOLS. 

Please be careful not to withdraw from subjects and affect your completion date which in turn, will affect your Confirmation of Enrolment at UOW (CoE). More information about ‘Managing Your Course’ can be found on the international students web page. 

If the student is unsatisfied with the outcome of their refund application, they can submit an appeal if: 

• They believe the Policy has not been adhered to; or 

• Additional information has become available which could have affected the outcome of their application. 

The appeal must be submitted within 28 calendar days of receiving the original decision. Appeals are to be submitted via an online appeal form which is provided during the refund outcome process (the link will be provided to you in your outcome email). Your appeal application must: 

• Provide new and substantial evidence that has not previously been considered; and  

• Include any relevant and new documentary evidence to support the appeal that was not included in your original application.  

For further assistance or information contact AskUOW.